


A Selkie Story

by Zorak23



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Facebook: The Fairest of the Rare, Fairest of the Rare’s Love Fest 2021, ImSorryButWhat?, LF2021, Love Fest 2021, MeetCute, NiceCoatLove, TeamCass, TeamSteve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:02:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29251146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zorak23/pseuds/Zorak23
Summary: Who knew picking up a coat could have such consequences?
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Adrian Pucey
Comments: 32
Kudos: 71
Collections: Love Fest 2021





	A Selkie Story

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WhimsyAndMalice](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhimsyAndMalice/gifts).



> This was written for WhimsyAndMalice and The Fairest of The Rare’s Love Fest 2021. #TeamCass #TeamSteve
> 
> Prompt: the attached meme at the end of the fic
> 
> As always, Black Lives Matter and trans rights are human rights.
> 
> Beta Love: AmbiguousGoldfish, the best beta in the world. Brit-picked by JacqP, my favorite Northern Lass.

Hermione took a deep breath of sea air, at long last able to relax. She knew she’d been a mess these past few months; hell, she’d been a mess for years as she fought for creatures’ rights within the constraints of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. 

In fact, as soon as she’d returned home to her flat after finally, _finally_ winning the right to disband said Department and head the new Magical Beings Division—which would guarantee equal protections under the law for all peoples, regardless of species—she found Ginny and Pansy waiting for her, with her bags already packed. 

She grinned to herself as she remembered her vehement, yet ultimately pointless protests as her bags were thrust into her arms and a portkey was slapped into her hand. She was still yelling when she’d arrived in the beautiful cottage on the Isle of Skye, and even more angry to see Ron and Draco waiting for her. Harry had stepped out of the kitchen with a tea tray, stunned and silenced her, and explained that she was now on vacation for the next two weeks, whether she liked it or not. 

Admittedly, it had taken awhile for her to accept the news that she would effectively be out of the office for half a month and unable to begin the restructuring of her new department. Once the conjured birds had stopped attacking Harry and Ron, however, Draco had calmed her down enough for her to see that she did, in fact, need a vacation. 

That had been two days ago. Since then, she’d spent the time gloriously alone, relaxing in the waterfront cottage that Draco had purchased last year. She snickered to herself when she remembered Ron’s reaction to the new vacation home, which happened to be in the same village that housed one of the Chudley Cannons’ biggest rivals. 

As she sipped her tea and looked out over the water, Hermione caught the scent of freshly baked bread and pastries in the air. When her stomach made itself loudly known, she decided to visit the nearby coffee shop for breakfast. If they tasted half as good as they smelt, she would be in for a treat. 

It was unseasonably cool that April, and Hermione was thankful for warming charms as she walked the few blocks to the coffee shop. Ron had raved about The Granary—apparently their home baking rivaled Mrs Weasley’s, although once the words had left his lips he’d demanded an unbreakable vow from everyone present to _never_ repeat what he had said in front of his mother. 

She entered the stone cafe and took a deep breath. The delectable scents once again made her stomach growl, and she quickly walked to the counter. The Granary seemed to be doing a brisk business that morning, as most of the tables were already filled by the time she placed her order. Once she’d paid for and received her cappuccino and apple turnover, she turned and surveyed the crowded room. Spotting an empty seat against the front window, she made her way around the other patrons to her seat. 

As she passed a table where several large men were sat, happily conversing and eating their breakfasts, one particularly attractive man laughed loudly and gestured with his arms to emphasise what he was saying to his companions. In the process, he managed to knock his coat off the back of his chair, right in front of Hermione. She immediately stopped to pick it up, noting the fine—and obviously expensive—fur, and cast a silent, wandless cleaning charm over the incredibly soft garment to remove any dust from the floor. 

“Oops, you’ve dropped your coat,” she said cheerfully, draping the garment back over the man’s chair. All four of the men stared at her in shock, especially the owner of the coat. His wide eyes were the color of sea glass, and he was looking at her as if he’d never seen a human being before. “Right,” she added awkwardly, giving a little wave and then continuing on to her seat. 

Hermione missed the furtive conversation that ensued between the men once she sat at the last empty table. She pulled a book out of her purse—a cheesy bodice-ripper, of all things, since Ginny had confiscated all of her research materials before sending her away—and dived back into the ridiculous escapades of an organic gardener and an egotistical chef. 

Just as she was finishing her turnover, she noticed a shadow fall across the page. She looked up, straight into the sea glass eyes of the man she’d passed earlier. 

“Can I help you?” Hermione was struck by how familiar he seemed, but thought she’d surely remember meeting someone as attractive as the man before her. 

“Er, yeah. You gave me my coat.”

“Right. Because you’d knocked it down, and I didn’t want it to get dirty.”

“But…” he was visibly concerned. “You just—you just _gave_ it to me.”

Hermione chuckled nervously. “Did you think I was going to keep it?”

The man all but collapsed into the chair across from her. “Most people would, Granger.”

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Alarm bells were going off in her mind, and she reached into her pocket for her wand, but the man waved away her concern. 

“Yeah. Adrian Pucey. We went to school together. Do you really not know what it means when you give a—when you hand a man his coat?”

Hermione both breathed a sigh of relief and narrowed her eyes. She recognized Pucey now, and knew that his entire family had left for the continent to avoid the war. She had nothing to fear from him in that regard, but his comment still rankled. “Is this some sort of pureblood nonsense? What, a maiden may not hand a man his coat or she’s being promiscuous? I can assure you, I haven’t been a ‘maiden’ in quite some time.” 

Adrian chuckled and ran his hand over his face. “No no, nothing like that. It’s more, er, well—” He stopped to look at his watch. “Look, I have to get to practice. Meet me here tomorrow? I’m off for the rest of the week.”

“Oh, um, alright.” She’d been about to refuse, when she caught sight of the pleading in his eyes. 

“Thanks, Granger. I’ll see you at ten tomorrow morning, then.” Hermione was shocked when he stood and kissed her on the cheek before dashing out of the cafe. She watched him through the window as he rushed down the narrow street, absentmindedly rubbing her cheek where his lips had pressed just moments before.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione saw Adrian waiting for her at one of the outside tables when she drew near the coffee shop. He held a steaming go cup out to her, and shook a white paper bag. 

“I thought we could go for a walk along the beach. I just got you the same thing you had yesterday, I hope that’s alright.”

“It’s lovely,” Hermione replied, taking a sip of the hot beverage. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a better apple turnover before.”

Adrian smiled down at her, and she felt butterflies. “They do have very good pastries. Shall we?”

She took his arm, and internally chastised herself for feeling so flustered. _‘He’s just a man, you daft cow! Stop acting like he’s god’s gift to women! Although, that description isn’t too far off if one judges solely on looks…’_

They walked together towards the beach, chatting about their respective jobs. He congratulated her on her promotion, she did the same for him when he told her he was now the Pride of Portrees’ starting Chaser. He made her laugh when he asked what her friends would think about them getting to know one another, what with him being a former Slytherin, and she the consummate Gryffindor. 

“Seeing as how Pansy Parkinson helped pack my bags and I’m staying in Draco Malfoy’s vacation home, I’m rather sure they’d be fine with it.”

“Right, yeah. I’d heard Malfoy broke his betrothal to the younger Greengrass sister. I hadn’t realized he’d left her for Parkinson, though.”

Hermione snorted. “He didn’t.”

“They started dating after the betrothal was broken, then?” Adrian wrinkled his brow in confusion. 

“They’re not dating at all,” she snickered. “Pansy is dating Harry, and Draco is dating Ron.”

“Oh. _Oh!_ I see. Yes, that makes sense then. I can’t imagine he’d want to marry a bird if he likes blokes.” They both chuckled for a bit, and had just reached the water’s edge when he asked, “Are you dating anyone?”

“Honestly, I haven’t had the time. Hopefully once the restructuring is finished, I’ll have a bit more time to myself, but it’s hard to have a relationship with someone when you’re all but married to your job.”

“I understand. Traveling with the team has similar challenges,” he admitted. They looked out over the water, and Hermione squealed and pointed out the seals frolicking in the surf. Adrian took a deep breath, and asked, “What do you know about Selkies?”

“They’re considered to be very rare, but their exact numbers are unknown as they’re a very private people,” Hermione immediately replied. “They are shapeshifters, but when in human form, they must keep their seal coats with them, or at least fiercely protected, at all times. I would love to meet with an emissary to discuss what kinds of laws should be drafted for their protection. I cannot imagine having to live in fear of someone stealing your coat and binding you… to…” she trailed off and looked up at him in shock. Adrian couldn’t keep the joy off his face at her words. “You—you said—that’s why you were so surprised that I gave you your coat back!”

“I thought you didn’t know what I was,” he began, and she made a noise of shocked agreement. He grinned and continued, “But I am thrilled to hear that you wouldn’t have bound me to you in slavery, even if you did.” He reached into his pocket and removed a small box. 

“Do you know any other customs of the Selkies?”

Hermione shook her head no, and he handed her the box. She opened it and gasped. 

“I… isn’t this… an engagement ring?” A blush stole over her cheeks as she looked up into his sea glass eyes. 

“Well… we… we should get married by human customs, as well.”

_“...What?”_

* * *


End file.
